


the lies of our cognition

by gremlin_rights



Category: Persona 5, ヒプノシスマイク | Hypnosis Mic (Albums)
Genre: Akechi Goro Lives, Other, Spoilers, akechi gets two like the legend he is, also gentaro is spelled like gentarou, also screw having only one true persona, atlus is bad writing., atlus stop, costume redesigns pls, no betas we die alone, not that gay, sorry folks, yumeno gentarou is akechi goro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 10:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18602980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gremlin_rights/pseuds/gremlin_rights
Summary: Akechi Goro paid the price to live. He paid himself.Yumeno Gentarou is rising through the rankings awfully quickly, at only the age of 23.





	the lies of our cognition

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> this only happened bc one day i looked at a fanart of gentarou and thought: woah akechi??? but then i realized it was gentarou.
> 
> i'm also inspired by liars never change by greenfelix (literallyepsilion) ! galaxy brain, amiright?

It had been quite sometime since the events that had changed his life. An orphan at a young age, and the sole target for bullies in middle school. In high school, he was regarded as a Detective Prince. Just as he was about to clear that hurdle of his life-- he had died. Not literally, no. It would be a touching end, but the fragments of a friendship left behind would never be repaired. Yet, perhaps it was for the better that his youth remained a secret.   
  
He was despicable, really. He had lied far more times than he had said the truth, and he had to deal with blood on his hands. Psychotic breakdowns were certainly no easy feat. Yet, his twisted sense of  _ ****_ ~~ _ ****_~~ **J̶̥̺̝̠̞̦̥̰͔̔̈́̔͌̓̏u̶̡̯̰͓͙͇͍̍̑̿́̈́s̷̜͇͑̑͗͠ţ̴̯̠̳̮̆͑͌͜ĩ̷̝̹̦͍̎͑̓̿̅͆͝c̸͍̖̮̝̕͜e̸̡̦̜͓͑̑̈̚͘** would lead him astray on the path of lies, deceit, and revenge. But his  **J̶̥̺̝̠̞̦̥̰͔̔̈́̔͌̓̏u̶̡̯̰͓͙͇͍̍̑̿́̈́s̷̜͇͑̑͗͠ţ̴̯̠̳̮̆͑͌͜ĩ̷̝̹̦͍̎͑̓̿̅͆͝c̸͍̖̮̝̕͜e̸̡̦̜͓͑̑̈̚͘** had led him to empty promises and a longing for something that no one would ever give.  ~~~~  
  
Not to someone like him. Perhaps to someone like the leader of that ragtag group, or everyone else. Certainly not him. __  
  
After sacrificing himself to prove that he would be useful to at least _someone_ , he hadn't gotten what he wanted at all. Loki and Robin Hood had clashed-- which one was the lie that he had put so strongly in his mind? Which was the truth that he'd have to accept, and what path should he take? Live a life at the cost of those precious to him, or have them live at the cost of himself. He had to make a split decision, quick, before the gun fired.  
  


* * *

  
_Yumeno Gentarou made a quick climb to one of the most well-known authors of the young adult genre. What came as a surprise was the enjoyment that also came from the older audiences. The references to old texts appealed to the older folk, but the refreshing storytelling style of the author appealed to the young audience. There was the strange fact of how the books seemed to just... call their name. And it's never a particular book that catches the eye of many._   
  
_One had said, admittedly, that the books always seemed unappealing at first. Later on however, they testified that they were going through a rough time with their family. When they read one of Yumeno-sensei's works, it had helped them understand and realize the position they were in, and they had rekindled their relationship. Another had said that this one work, which had appealed to them, also helped them get through a depressing time. They're not ashamed, now, to say that Yumeno-sensei's novel had saved them from committing suicide._   
  
_It was a strange change within Shibuya. His influence quickly spread. Unnaturally so, that skeptics thought it would be something like the Phantom Thieves incident. They were convinced that Yumeno-sensei had achieved popularity through unnatural means. People quickly shut them down, saying that even if it was unnatural, it was needed. So eventually the topic was left alone._   
  
_However, what a lot of the younger audience discovered (and received well) is Yumeno Gentarou. The author has a strange penchance for lies, and he would always be seen around wearing a hakama and looking like a houseboy. Not much is known about the liar himself, but there has been word of his recruitment into Shibuya Division (Fling Posse) as the MC Phantom. Many note his poetic style, and many are cheering him on. Good luck, Yumeno-sensei!_   
  
_But there is a question brought up by some speculating fans._   
  
_What if his name is a lie? What if he fabricated his own lie to hide who he is? Many have not recalled seeing the old-fashioned author in the streets of Shibuya before. Although he could've just moved in, it was considered a bit suspicious. The author had mentioned briefly going to highschool in Shibuya, but many alumni of high schools around Tokyo claim to have never encountered someone like him._   
  
_Another point was brought up by a  Phan, a member of the Phantom Thieves fanbase (which still kept going, yet was decreasing rapidly in number), saying that Yumeno Gentarou looked awfully similar to the second Detective Prince, who had disappeared in his highschool years. We all mourn the loss of the second Detective Prince, but this is a fickle point that was brought up in speculation. Could Yumeno Gentarou be the late Akechi Goro? Is his identity right now truly a lie?_   
  
**\- Excerpt from "The Phantom Conspiracy: Yumeno Gentarou or Akechi Goro?"**   
  


* * *

  
The masked man turned away from the Shadow. His shackles shook in the dim light of Mementos. There were far too many."Reconsider your desires. Do not make it complicated." The shadow begged and cried to be killed, to disappear. It would be better for everyone, they said. They said life had no meaning.   
  
The masked man hummed, turning towards them. Their face was yet to be seen underneath the huge mask they had crafted in their cognition. "You'll decide how to live your life. You are not defined by meaning."  
  
But without meaning I am nothing, said the Shadow. The masked man shook his head disapprovingly. Their mask was black and beaked, like a crow, and feather protruded from the side. The mask morphed, but just enough to see the man's sly smile.   
  
" **What do you want meaning for? Life is desire, not meaning**." They touched their mask. " **Come out, Robin Hood.** It's time to play."   
  
 _They may want to die, but I won't let them._ "You think you can play dead?  **Samarecarm.** "  
  
The man huffs as the Shadow grunts, the spell having no effect on them. What do you want, the Shadow says. No one wants me, so I should die, right? The Shadow cries. The masked man blinks. "That's wrong. Reflect on your life. Think of the people around you. And don't let go of hope. Matsumoto-san would be awfully devastated if you were to die. Your younger sister, Chiyo, would be faced with another loss." The masked man hums. "You don't need to do anything special. Just reach out, even if it's small."   
  
The Shadow nods their head. I can try, they say. And, the masked man smiles sadly underneath the mask. "That's barely the minimum of what you have to do. But then again, that's a lie." The Shadow laughs. I'll think about it-- no, I'll do it, they say.   
  
"I'll take my due, Matsumoto Yamato-san." The masked man takes the bud, and gives it to Loki. Loki then, in turn, makes another shackle on to the man.  _ **You are truly repenting for your wrongdoings in the past.**_  
  
They take off the mask and hum. Their brown hair is easily recognizable, but it belongs to the same head. "I'm not. Not if my name isn't Yumeno Gentarou."   
  
 _ **Suit yourself, Akechi Goro.**_  
  
"Of course. Didn't I promise to live at the cost of myself? It is only a fair deal."  
  
 _Of course, Yumeno Gentarou._  
  


* * *

  
Yongen-Jaya really was a quaint neighborhood. It was also far too familiar, for Gentarou's taste. Why Ramuda had asked to meet here of all places-- Gentarou would never guess. He looks at the time on his phone, sighing. Ramuda is late, of course, but when he comes he'll just say that he's fashionably late. That is the nature of his leader, unfortunately.  
  
Something that Gentarou definitely did not see coming was cotton candy hair paired with a familiar head of raven locks, and the shocking blue of his leader's eyes to meet the grey color of the other's eyes. Kurusu Akira... it's been a long time. He was in a state of shock, not expecting the Phantom Thief to still be in Tokyo, rather expecting him in his hometown. Inaba, was it?  ~~Akechi~~ Gentarou couldn't remember.  
  
But he would remember both first times he had met Akira. "Ah, I've heard about you. Kurusu Akira, was it? Nice to meet you." Bow. "My name is Yumeno Gentarou."

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed my kinda crappy writing? if you liked it, pls spare kudos
> 
> if you really liked it, pls comment!
> 
> and that's ace signing out.


End file.
